Chapter 19 – Songs Of Praise Cause The Wicked To Self Destruct

CHAPTER 19SONGS OF PRAISE CAUSE THEWICKED TO SELF-DESTRUCT

“Rejoice evermore, pray without ceasing. In everything give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ concerning you.” I Thess. 5:16-18. Just as God used an earthquake to deliver Paul and Silas at midnight, so the Lord will again deliver His people in this last hour of earth’s history at midnight by using an earthquake brought on by Satan. The righteous will be praising God for His goodness while the wicked are killing each other all over the earth. See Isa. 25:6-12; Jer. 25:31-33.

In 2 Chronicles 20:10-25, we see how Satan and his host of demons really go wild with fright and anger when we praise God with singing. In that story, the enemy destroyed each other. There will be an instant replay of this same scenario at the end of this age before Christ comes to translate His own in three stages, which will be the Barley, Wheat and Grape harvests. Then, after the 1,000 years all the wicked will be reconciled and restored to God’s throne. Here is the proof: “Then I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and on the sea, and all that is in them, singing to Him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be praise and honor and glory and power for ever and ever!” Revelation 5:13; “Who will not fear you, O Lord, and bring glory to your name? For you alone are holy. All nations will come and worship before you, for your righteous acts have been revealed.” Rev. 15:4.

And the song of praise will ascend from the Saints robed in white ABOUT the throne: “worthy is the lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honor, and glory, and blessing.” Rev. 5:12.

HIS KINDNESS IS FOREVER

In Jehoshaphat’s day they sang “PRAISE THE LORD: FOR HIS MERCY ENDURETH FOREVER.” The Living Bible says they sang, “HIS LOVING KINDNESS IS FOREVER,” as they walked along praising and thanking the Lord!

“And at the moment they began to sing and to praise, the Lord caused the armies of Ammon, Moab, and Mount Seir to begin fighting among themselves, and they destroyed each other!” 2 Chronicles 20:21, 22. Here again God takes the blame by inspiring the Chronicler to record, “THE LORD CAUSED,” as if it was all God’s fault. “I DID IT,” He says. “I KILLED THEM.” Actually, what happened was that the Lord was no longer able to restrain the evil passions of the souls of these wicked men and Satan’s angels had full control to destroy them (Psalm 78:49), when they heard them singing.

Satan’s angels and the wicked both came into the presence of God’s perfect law in the person of His faithful servants and it made them so angry they killed themselves. Suicide is one of the most subtle forms of hatred toward those who love the person who is killing himself. “See what you made me do? I hate you so much, I am going to punish you. Now, you will have to feel sorry and mourn for me forever.” A person who can get up enough courage to kill himself also should have enough courage to live, but the truth of the matter is that the suicide has turned his thoughts and feelings inward for so long that he cannot think of anyone else but himself. In the case of Jehoshaphat’s enemies, you might say that the “law of sin and death,” Rom. 8:2, was fully activated in their lives, and they reaped in a few seconds what most people would reap in a life time, due to the tremendous hatred that was released in their minds and bodies due to the singing. So it will be in the final day.

God does not kill the sinner when he passes the line of divine forbearance [patience and leniency]. This withdrawing of restraint is called God’s wrath, anger, vengeance, indignation, fire, punishment, and judgment, but these are all words to convey the meaning that God is not destroying that person, but is being forced out of that individual’s life by giving the person and/or nation up to his or her own choice, turning them over to themselves and their own counsel and the guidance of Satan and his angels, Psalm 78:49. God never condemns the sinner to death, for He is a life God.

He does not pass a sentence of judgment against a person for his transgression. But every man passes sentence against himself by rejecting God’s love in the form of light and truth from the Bible and godly ministers of the Word. As a man continues to reject the Holy Spirit’s pleading God is forced out of his life and Satan moves in to control the evil, lower passions and man destroys himself. Judas, the city of Jerusalem and the whole Jewish nation in Christ’s day are examples of what happens when God’s warnings are despised and rejected. “God does not stand toward the sinner as an executioner of the sentence against transgression; but He leaves the rejecters of His mercy to themselves, to reap that which they have sown. Every ray of light rejected, every warring despised or unheeded, every passion indulged, every transgression of the law of God, is a seed sown which yields its unfailing harvest. The Spirit of God, persistently resisted, is at last withdrawn from the sinner, and then there is left no power to control the evil passions of the soul, and no protection from the malice and enmity of Satan. The destruction of Jerusalem (in AD 70) is a fearful and solemn warning to all who are trifling with the offers of divine grace and resisting the pleadings of divine mercy.” GC 36.

The Bible proves that God “punishes” people by letting them go their own way and do their own thing. It is just the opposite of what we have always thought, myself included. Unless a person understands this, he will have no criterion upon which to base his actions in the final hours of this earth’s history when the world is being bombarded with sickness, disease, violence, plague and death on every hand. Is this the work of God or Satan? If it is God, then we had better keep Sunday holy to appease His wrath as the preachers are already suggesting in some circles. But, if God is not bringing these calamities, then it must be Satan, and the Sabbath, Saturday, the seventh day, is God’s true day. Exodus 20:8-11, Heb. 4:4, Matt. 24:20, Luke 4:16.

Furthermore, the temptation to meet violence with violence will cause many to take up weapons to defend themselves, as Peter did in the garden. If they do this, they will no doubt meet with great heartache, disappointment and loss. Unless they repent, as Peter repented, they may very likely meet with eternal loss, as Judas did. Judas, Jerusalem and the Jewish nation are examples of how God is going to “punish,” the entire world in the end time. This is just a little sample of His “strange act.”

SATAN’S FRUSTRATION AND FEAR AND HIS ANGER

Just as Satan’s fear and anger knew no bounds when Jesus died on the cross, so it will again know no bounds when the final demonstration of God’s true character has been “finished,” in the person of His final, faithful, chosen and elect people. Matt 24:24; Rev. 17:14. God says, “It Is Done,” and all hell breaks loose on this planet as Satan unleashes his pent up fury. Isa. 28:2, Isa. 14:16, 17.

Yes, it is Satan and his demon hosts who are bringing all the noise and fireworks as Christ comes to raise the dead and translate the righteous, which will be the first phase of the harvest, the Barley or Elect, the Man Child, Rev. 12:5; the Christos, Rev. 11:15 & 12:10. Remember God’s vengeance is the same as His wrath. He has withdrawn His restraint from the wicked. This is His punishment.

Is God the accuser or is it Satan who is uttering words of doom upon the wicked? Revelation 12:10 tells us that Satan is the accuser. SATAN’S sheep hear his voice and CHRIST’S sheep hear His voice. John 10:14, 16, 27.

While the wicked are being killed by flying rocks, lightning bolts and the weapons of men who hate them, (Ezek. 38:21) Jesus protects His chosen ones and escorts them safely through this Satanic holocaust up out of earth’s fiery atmosphere to the Father’s throne, where they will receive their commission to return and begin the Wheat harvest of the 144,000 (40 days) and later the Grape Harvest (3 1/2 years). Rev. 14:14-20. After the grape harvest Jesus will then translate one third of the earth’s inhabitants, Zechariah 13:7-9 and escort them up through that opening in Orion into the heaven of heavens where they will live and reign with Him for 1,000 years of judgment, getting acquainted and “growing up.” Malachi 4:2; Rev. 20:4-6.

SATAN IS A VERY, VERY BAD LOSER

And so Satan loses again, just as he lost at Calvary and as he will lose again after the 1,000 years, for Satan is a loser. BUT JESUS IS A WINNER, 2 Cor. 13:8, and He wins with love, not hatred. When Jesus died on Calvary’s cross, there were lightnings and thunders, darkness and an earthquake. God did not bring these aberrations of nature, but He used and directed them. God hid Himself in the thick darkness so He could be just as close to His Son as possible. But, He who is ETERNAL LIGHT did not bring the darkness. Satan did that, for he is the originator or ruler of darkness. There is no darkness in God. “This is the message we have heard from Him and proclaim to you, that God is light and in Him is no darkness at all.” I Jn. 1:5. “He bowed the heavens also and came down: and darkness was under his feet.” Psalm 18:9. Moses predicted in Gen. 3:15 that Christ would overcome evil with His Eternal light and love. “For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strongholds;” 2 Cor. 10:4. “For this purpose the son of God was manifested, that he might destroy (render him powerless) the works of the Devil.” I John 3:8. Not only will Satan bow his knees, he will confess and be brought to “ashes” which is a Hebrew symbolism for remorse and repentance. Yes, all things are going to be restored (Acts 3:21) even the first great rebel so that God may be ALL IN ALL, for as in “Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.”

I Cor. 15:22-28. “The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death…that God may be all in all.” This will be accomplished after the 1,000 years when “Death and hell” will be “cast into the lake of fire.” Rev. 20:14. This is the final “second death,” which is not a literal death, per se, but a death to the ego or self life that the true and original creation of God may be manifested in every creature. This is why Jesus died on the cross and He will not be “satisfied” until that one lost sheep is fully restored and there is a completed fold and a finished creation.

And what is it that has made all of this possible? By permitting Himself to be crucified on the cross of Calvary, in this one courageous act Jesus destroyed the power of Satan to perpetuate sin, darkness and death on this planet. When our Lord was lifted up on the cross, the whole universe’s attention was drawn to Him. But it was not only for our world that Jesus died. All the angels and all the unfallen worlds saw for the first time what God is really like. Satan destroyed himself forever in the eyes of the universe when he led the people to kill the “human” part of Jesus.

Actually, the people did not really “kill,” Jesus. He willingly laid down His life for us. “I lay down my life, that I might take it again. No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have power to lay it down, and have power to take it again. This commandment have I received of my father.” John 10:17, 18. Someone may wonder why, in the light of this statement, that the apostles indited the Jews for the murder of Christ. See Acts 3:14, 15. “But ye denied the Holy One… and killed the prince of life.” John taught that if you hate your brother you are a murderer, I John 3:15, and we know the Jews hated Him. In these ways, the Jewish leaders killed their true Messiah.

THE DARKNESS AT THE CROSS

The darkness at Calvary was not the result of an eclipse, but was a miraculous testimony given by God that the faith of after generations might be confirmed. God is blamed for the event, when He simply used, directed and controlled this aberration of nature caused by Satan in order to demonstrate His divine control and sovereignty over man and nature, as well as Satan. Satan proposes, but God disposes. Satan brings darkness, but God turns the darkness into a sign that cast light upon the event which split history in two. Satan tries to bring lightning to frighten and destroy, but God uses it to illuminate His only Son on the cross so all the ends of the earth might see His salvation. Thus Satan is defeated at every turn.

Satan tries to bring an earthquake which will bury the dead deep in the heart of the earth, but God uses the same earthquake to open the graves of the saints who will ascend with Christ as trophies of His victory over death and the grave, Psalm 24; Eph. 4:8. At the coming of Christ, Satan’s earthquake will again be used to open the proper graves and break down certain jail cells, so His people may go free. Jesus always gives freedom, Satan always brings slavery.

For 1,000 years Satan will be “chained” to this earth, while the saints are in heaven with Jesus reigning in “Judgment” with Him. That is, they will go over the books with Him and see why He made the decisions He made regarding why things happened as they did. God does not keep Satan here by force. This planet will be the only “dark place” left in the universe for Satan to hide in. Light and truth are everywhere and it would be too painful for Satan to go anywhere near it. But, God takes the blame for this too. He still loves Lucifer and respects His feelings and decision. This is Satan’s “Time out,” so he can think about everything for 1,000 years.

JESUS CHRIST WAS OFFERED AS A BURNT SACRIFICE

Once, while I was driving into town, I began memorizing in Psalm 20. When I came to verse three, I kept repeating it over and over, for I felt that it had a special meaning I did not understand, but needed to know.

“Remember all thy offerings, and accept thy burnt sacrifice;” Selah. Ps. 20:3 Whenever I see the word Selah, I think of David the Psalmist stopping and pausing on the harp to consider the full significance of the words he has just sung. STOP THE MUSIC AND THINK ABOUT THAT, is what I believe “selah,” means. I also believe that Jesus Himself inspired the Psalms to be written and compiled so He would have a song book full of hope and instruction and victory to sing as He fought the battle of life here on this earth for you and for me. Now, that He has won, each of these Psalms belongs to us.

But, the BURNT SACRIFICE of verse 3 is referring to Jesus who truly was offered on Calvary’s tree as a burnt sacrifice in fulfillment of all the Old Testament sacrifices which pointed forward to Him. He had to go through this in order to fulfill the prophecy. In Psalm 22, definitely a Messianic Psalm, Christ declared, while hanging on the cross, “But I am a worm, and no man; a reproach of men, and despised of the people. I am poured out like water, and all my bones are out of joint: my heart is like wax; it is melted in the midst of my bowels. My strength is dried up like a potsherd.” Psalm 22:6, 14,15

JESUS BECAME A WORM FOR EACH OF US

Yes, friend of mine, Jesus became a worm so that we might live. Is anything lower, more detestable, uglier, or more helpless than a worm? When you step on it, it simply rolls over and over, twists and turns, bleeding and writhing in pain and then dies. But Jesus went beyond the worm. He even became a snake for all of us, even for the whole universe. A serpent, the symbol of Satan. For years I could never fathom why the Lord instructed Moses to lift up a serpent on a pole in the wilderness so the people could look at the brazen serpent and live. I never dared to preach on this subject, because I just didn’t grasp the meaning behind it. No one ever asked me, so I just put it way in the back of my mind.

Thank the Lord He finally made it clear to me. Why was the serpent made of brass first of all? (actually Bronze) 1) Bronze is light and would not be heavy to hold up for a long time. My yoke is easy and my burden is light. Matt. 11:28-30. Bronze is an alloy of two metals, tin and copper, which fitly represents the dual nature of Christ. But there is more. When the serpent is up off the ground, as in Moses’ day in Pharaoh’s court (Exodus 7:8, 9) and later in Numbers 21, the serpent is restored to its pristine glory in the Garden of Eden and represents Christ, speaking forth life giving words of instruction and bringing healing to the world but at the same time sacrificing itself to be cast down in the dust and to become “sin for us,” the most hated and feared animal in the world, a biting snake. It is a mystery we will no doubt look into and study throughout eternity.

It was not logical that the snake which was causing the Israelites to die would give them life if they looked. Neither is it logical that God would place all the sins of the world upon His only Son and permit Him to die the humiliating and horrible death He died on the cross for our redemption, but what seems to be foolishness with men is Wisdom with God. 1 Cor. 3:19.

Jesus became as sinful as the most sinful being that ever sinned, Satan himself, and died the eternal death every unrepentant sinner will have to die, even the second death in the Lake of Fire, which is a death to self or the ego. Death in this life is not death, but only sleep John 11:11. And that final death will not result in non-existence, as some teach, who believe in the annihilation theory, but in a re-birth and conversion experience which will grant them the right and privilege of entering into the gates of the New Jerusalem, into the celestial city. “He that overcometh shall inherit all things.” Rev 21:7; Rev 22:14.

“And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up; that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have eternal life.” John 3:14,15.

It is not exaltation in this life which brings victory and an eternal reward. No. Instead, it is death to self. As we take up our cross daily, and are crucified with Jesus, we die to self, burying our own ideas and plans and wills with Him. Then Christ resurrects us daily with Himself to walk hand in hand with Him in the ways of His choosing, which lead to life Everlasting.

THE DEVOURING FIRE OF REVELATION 20:9

“And fire came down from God out of heaven, and devoured them.” Rev. 20:9. The Greek word “devour” has two meanings, just as fire does. “Thou lovest all devouring words, O thou deceitful tongue.” Psalm 52:4, KJV. “You love all destroying words, O deceitful tongue.” Ibid, Modern Language Version. “You love to slander—you love to say anything that will do harm, O man with the lying tongue.” Living Bible, Ibid. “An ungodly witness scorneth judgment; and the mouth of the wicked devoureth iniquity.” Proverbs 19:28. And the Modern Language Version says, “A worthless witness scoffs at justice and the mouth of the wicked swallows iniquity.”

When we compare this with Obadiah 1:15-18, we find a prophecy that parallels Rev. 20:9. “For the day of the Lord is near upon all the heathen: as thou hast done, it shall be done unto thee: thy reward shall return upon thine own head. For as ye have drunk upon my Holy Mountain, so shall all the heathen drink continually, yea, they shall drink, and they shall swallow down and they shall be as though they had not been.” Now, what is it they are going to drink? “The mouth of the wicked swallows [KJV says ‘devours’].” Proverbs 19:28.

Jesus drank the bitter cup for you and for me. QUESTION: WHAT WAS IN THE CUP? ANSWER: Why, it was all the sins of the world. If anyone refuses to accept His sacrifice, he must drink the cup himself …and it Will “DEVOUR” him from inside out, as it killed Christ on the cross. We have often heard that it was the sins of the world which caused the death of Christ and that is true. He was burned up by the sins of the world from the inside out for us. Notice in Psalm 22:14, that our Lord cried out, “my heart is like wax; it is melted in the midst of my bowels. My strength is dried up… I thirst,” He also said. It takes a lot of heat to cause that kind of experience, heat on the inside of one’s body. The sin of the world was the “fire” that generated that heat in the body of Christ as he offered Himself as a BURNT SACRIFICE.

THE WICKED WILL BURN INSIDE AS AN OVEN

“Thine hand [the nail pierced hand of Jesus] shall find out all thine enemies: thy right hand shall find out those that hate thee. Thou shalt make them as a fiery oven in the time of thine anger: the Lord shall swallow them up in his wrath, and the fire shall devour them.” Psalm 21:8, 9.

“For they have made [margin says, ‘applied’] ready their heart like an oven.” Hosea 7:6. And how does an oven burn? It burns up whatever is inside it. It “devours,” the combustible material in it. That is the way the wicked will burn up in the day when God shows them their life history. “For, behold the day cometh, that shall bum as an oven: and all the proud, yea, and all that do wickedly, shall be stubble: and the day that cometh shall bum them up, saith the Lord of hosts, that it shall leave them neither root nor branch.” Mal. 4:1.

As the wicked look at Christ upon His throne on a foundation of burnished gold high and lifted up, and the saved of all ages around Him, all the lost are filled with sorrow, envy, regret, but mainly hatred. It just “BURNS THEM UP,” to see all their former friends and enemies with all that gold and them standing on the rubble of the earth with nothing but a machine gun and a hand grenade, and perhaps a few atomic and nuclear weapons which are even more deadly than we have today.

“BUT THE CHILDREN OF THE KINGDOM (all those who professed to believe in God) shall be cast out into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.” Matt. 8:12. This will last for a “little season.” Rev. 20:3. How long is a “season?” “Choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a SEASON.” Moses lived to be 120 years. There is a text in Isa 65:20 which indicates this period of time could last for 100 years, which would be long enough for the billions of lost outside the city to get to know each other and blame each other for their pitiful condition. “The queen of the south shall rise up in the judgment with the men of this generation, and condemn them …the men of Nineveh shall rise up in the judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it: for they repented at the preaching of Jonas; and behold, a greater than Jonas is here.” Luke 11:31, 32. Rev 20:1-9 tells us the wicked will form an army and try to attack the city but the Lord will consume them with the “fire of His love,” the only kind of fire God ever reveals to the human race for He does not destroy. This all will take place after the 1,000 years. But at His “second coming” which has three phases, Barley, Wheat and Grape, we read that “The Son of Man shall send forth his angels, and they shall gather out of his Kingdom all things that offend, and them which do iniquity; and shall cast them into a furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth. Then shall the righteous shine forth as the sun in the Kingdom of their Father. Who hath ears to hear, let him hear.” Matt. 13:41-43, Psalm 78:49, Jer. 22:7.

The expression, “GNASHING OF TEETH,” is used to describe people who are burning up with hatred and anger, such as the Jews who killed Stephen. “When they heard these things, they were cut to the heart; and they gnashed on Him with their teeth.” Acts 7:54.

“Surely He shall not be moved for ever: the righteous shall be in everlasting remembrance. He shall not be afraid of evil tidings: His heart is fixed, trusting in the Lord. His heart is established, He shall not be afraid, until He see his desire upon his enemies. [His desire is Proverbs 25:21, to give them eternal food and drink, even Himself, but it is only coals of fire to them], He hath given to the poor; his righteousness endureth for ever; his horn shall be exalted with honor. The wicked shall see it, [ all the good things He has done for them] and be grieved; He [the wicked] gnash with his teeth, and melt away: the desire of the wicked [all their sinful desires] shall perish.” Psalm 112:6-10. Please notice carefully that it is the “sinful desires” that are going to be “consumed,” not the sinners themselves. God loves the sinner but hates the sin. Notice: “Oh let the wickedness of the wicked come to an end; but establish the just: for righteous God tries the hearts and reins.” Psalm 7:9. When their sin and wickedness is “burned up” and “consumed” by the “fire of God” they will be purified and made ready to “enter into the gates of the city.” The last to enter will be Satan and his angels who are the hardest cases and have the most sins to be burned out of them but eventually even Satan will be destroyed that Lucifer may be reborn.

THE RIGHTEOUSNESS OF THE LAW DESTROYS

It is really the law of God lived out in the life of Christ and the lives of His followers which will destroy the wicked. Because they have refused the protection of God’s law, which law would have healed their sin sickness, as Christ wrote it in their hearts with His own blood, this same law they have refused will now, like a mirror, point out their sins in living color. They will have an instant replay of their whole life, for everything they have ever said, done or experienced is all in the mind. John 8:6-11 is an example of how this will happen at the end of our present age.

They will not be able to stand the sight of themselves as they realize what they have become without Christ. Yet, they still refuse to turn to Him at first and begin casting blame upon each other, especially the religious leaders who led them astray. The whole world will be on fire and will self-destruct. Every man’s hand will be against his brother. Ezek. 38:21. This will take place in the age in which we are now living. But after the 1,000 years it will be different in the Lake of Fire. Satan himself will suffer longer than anyone, but is finally reduced to “ashes,”which is repentance. The fire that destroys him is initiated by the wicked as a result of the fire of hatred which is in himself and comes forth with fury at this time according to Ezekiel 28:18. The fire that comes forth from within him is obviously all the sins he will recall. Mark 9 indicates that the worm of sin will not die nor the fire be quenched…until…Yes, until the work of consuming sin is completed. God will not force them. They still have free will. He never takes that away from any creature.

When we refuse to let Jesus write the law of the “SPIRIT OF LIFE” (Ten commandments) or law of liberty, James 2:10, in our hearts, we automatically activate the law of sin and death in our hearts. Rom. 8:1,2. This, then, is what will destroy the wicked, for sin devours itself. “I said therefore unto you, that ye shall die in your sins.” John 8:24. NOTICE: James tells us about the ability of the lawgiver (JESUS) to destroy. “There is one lawgiver, who is able to save and to destroy.” James 4:12. Satan destroys by tempting men to break the law. Heb. 2:14, Rev. 6:8, Matt. 10:28, Isa. 14:20, Ezek. 28:20. And it is this law that will finally “destroy” all of the wicked in the “Lake of Fire,” which Charles H. Pridgeon explains is a “Lake of Divine Purification.” This book is available if you would like to read it. “Is Hell Eternal:Will God’s Plan Fail?”

Because God is the author of the Ten Commandments and because this law is the undergirding and foundation of His throne, God makes Himself responsible for the sickness, disaster and death that result from the violation of its precepts. He says, “I made the law, therefore I have killed you. It is all my fault and I will take the blame in order that I may have the right to bring you a cure or remedy for the sickness and misery my law has revealed in your life.” For the written code [letter of the law] kills, but the Spirit gives life. 2 Cor. 3:6. One early 20th century visionary made this insightful comment regarding the law of God.

“Against every evildoer God’s law utters condemnation. He may disregard that voice, he may seek to drown its warning, but in vain. It follows him. It makes itself heard. It destroys his peace. If unheeded, it pursues him to the grave. It bears witness against him at the judgment.” Education, page 144, 1903.

Paul clearly explains in Romans 7:7-25, that it is the righteousness of the law (character of God), which destroys us when we become aware of our sins. “I was once alive apart from the law, but when the commandment came, sin revived and I died; the very commandment which promised life proved to be death to me. For sin, finding opportunity in the commandment, deceived me and by it killed me.” Rom. 7:9, 10, 11, LB. Do you see how Paul explains the “death” of the sinner, using himself as an example. He also said, “I die daily” and “crucified with Christ.” It is a painful process and after the 1,000 years will take a very long time.

In the final day the law will be totally personified in the beautiful personage of our precious Redeemer who with outstretched hands (nail scars blazing with glory Habakkuk 3:4) makes one last, final call to all the lost standing before Him with their instruments of death and destruction in their hands to kill Him if they can. “Oh, why will you die,” He will say to them, “when you can come to me and live forever. Behold the purchased possession of my blood. I did it for you too.”

GOD’S FINAL CALL OF LOVE TO ALL THE LOST ONES

“With the voice together shall they sing: for they shall see eye to eye, when the Lord shall bring again Zion… the Lord hath made bare his holy arm in the eyes of all the nations; and all the ends of the earth shall see the salvation of our God.” Isaiah 52:9, 10.

This clearly shows that the entire human race are all going to meet together in the future for the first time. It is at this time that the wicked will be confronted with their sins in full display in the heavens through a revelation of the plan of salvation. Each person in every age will see just where he went astray and how many times he/she refused to surrender themselves to God’s way to His plan of salvation. They will finally realize what Paul meant when he said, “It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands [the nail scarred hands of Jesus] of the living God. Hebrews 10:31. “God came from Teman, and the Holy One from mount Paran. Selah. His glory covered the heavens, and the earth was full of his praise. And His brightness was as the light; he had horns coming out of his hand: (margin says “bright beams out of his side.” Habakkuk 3:3, 4. Here we see a prediction of a future panoramic “movie in the sky” in which will be displayed the life of Jesus and His sufferings. Another visionary saw it like this: “As soon as the books or record are opened, and the eye of Jesus looks upon the wicked, they are conscious of every sin which they have ever committed. They see just where their feet diverged from the path of purity and holiness, just how far pride and rebellion have carried them in the violation of the law of God. The seductive temptations which they encouraged by indulgence in sin, the blessings perverted, the messengers of God despised, the warnings rejected, the waves of mercy beaten back by the stubborn, unrepentant heart-all appear as if written in letters of fire.” GC 666. If everything a person has ever experienced is still in the brain then our mind is the “record books” the Lord will use to bring back all of those memories, good and bad and it truly will be like a consuming fire.

It may take a long time for them to admit they are wrong, but eventually every knee will bow and every tongue will confess and this will bring glory to God the Father. It could not bring glory to His name if it were forced or faked. It would have to be a true and genuine conversion. Read I Cor. 12:3 and Ezekiel 16:53-55; then Ezekiel 47 which indicates the righteous will go outside the city to heal the wicked. “These waters (the righteous coming out of the city of New Jerusalem) issue out toward the east country, and go down into the desert (plain, and go into the sea: (all the lost) which being brought forth into the sea, the waters (lost and sick people) shall be healed.” Ezekiel even uses the symbolism of “fish” to refer to the people. “And it shall come to pass, that every thing that lives which moves, wherever the rivers shall come, shall live: and there shall be a very great multitude of fish, because these waters shall come thither: for they shall be healed; and every thing shall live thither (where) the river cometh.” Ezekiel 47:9. The ML & RSV read “become fresh” instead of live.

“Everything touching the water of this river shall live. Fish will abound in the Dead Sea, for its waters will be healed. Wherever this water flows, everything will live.” LB.